Improvement in machines for cutting shoe-shank stiffeners



O. LITTLEPIELD. Machine for Cutting Shoe-Shank Stiffeners.

Patented June 3,1879.

KIN

a; m I

W Wm? 3 a m ,A 4 n 6 Z) .9 x e 1 W MPH-EH5, FNDTO-LITMOGRAPNER,WASHINGTON D C Fly] Wi'filesses.

UNIT D STATESJPATENT QFFIOE.

ORLANDO LI-TTLEFIELD, OF SAOGARAPPA, MAINE.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR CUTTING SHOE-SHANK STIFFENERS.

Specification forming. part of Letters Patent No. 216,044, dated June 3,1879; application filed January 21, 1879.

'To all whom it may concern; I

Be it known that I, ORLANDO LITTLEFIELD, of Saccarappa, State of Maine,have invented a ShoeShank-Gutting.Machine, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to machines which are employed to cutshankstifi'eners for boots and shoes from leather, leather-board, orother materials, with edges oblique to the plane of the stiffener, andwith such configuration of outline as the form of the boot OI'\S11OG mayrequire and the invention consists in a cutter or cutters formed withthe requisite curve oroutline, and with an edge formed by a bevel uponone side of such cutter or cutters, said cutter or cutters being hingedand arranged to cut by a reciprocating motion, and by the lateral motionimparted by such bevel of the edge in the act ofocuttin g, and by thefree mo tion of the hinge the edge of the stiffener has imparted to it abevel or obliquity relatively to the plane of the sheet from which it isout, corresponding to the obliquity of such bevel of the cutter orcutters to the plane of the same, such cutter or cutters being arrangedand combined with. stops and springs, whereby the cutter or cutters,when the stiffener is cut, discharge the same and return to their firstposition in readiness for another cut, devices being provided forvarying the distance apart of such cutter or cutters, all as will behereinafter fully described.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the cutters, and the stock or holder bywhich they are held and by which they are attached to the reciprocatingslide of the cutting-press. Fig. 2 is an under-side View of Fig. 1. Fig.3 is a vertieal section taken on line Y Z, Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is asection taken like Fig. 3, but showing a modification of the stock orholder, and the devices by which the cutters are thereto attached, andby which they are adjusted relatively to their distance from each other,or relatively to the center of the stock to which they are secured, andof the devices pertaining to the swinging motion of such cutters. Fig. 5

is an under-side view .of a shank-stiffener as cut by my machine; andFig. 6 is a transverse section as taken on line W X, Fig. 5.

In these figures, A B are the halves or parts of the holder, such halvesbeing formed horizontally elongated, and with suitable holes forattachment by screws or bolts to the slide of the cutting-press, andwith the respective depending members G, in which are secured thespring-holders, to be described.

The cutters DD are, respectively, pivoted in the halves A B of theholder, and so that their lower ends (the cutting-edges) may have a freeswinging motion toward or from each other.

In each of members 0 is threaded a screwplug, (1, through which passesfreely the plunger 0, having such configuration of cross section that itcannot rotate in the hole through plug d, but will rotate said plug whenso actuated by its leverf. Coiled springs g are arranged on theseplungers between the head a and plugs (1, whereby the plungers areconstantly pressed inward against the cutters.

The stop-rods h, Fig. 2, are loosely attached to cutters D, and playfreely in holes in members G, and are provided with the stop-nuts i,which are so adjusted that neither cutter calr be forced inward byspring 9 beyond its proper position.

The cutter holder or stock may be constructed in a great variety ofways, as may best adapt it to any given press or other conditions.

In Fig. 4 the holder is shown formed with a stem, E, to be secured in asocket in the pressslide. F F are arms extending from stem E.

7t 7c are adjusting-blocks, secured to arms F by screws on m, which passthrough slots 0'. Z Z are the cutter-holders, which, at their innerends, are pivoted to blocks 70, as shown, and are adjusted by rods 0 0,which perform the same office as do rods h when arranged as in Figs. 2and 3. The springs to serve to return the cutters D to their first andnormal position after the cutting of a stiffener.

The cutting-knives may be so formed that when in position for cuttingall portions thereof shall be vertical, instead of having slight lateralcurves or flaring, as shown; and they may be arranged to be broughtclose together, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3; or they may, by slackingscrew d and inserting chocks between the halves A B of the holder, beset apart to any desired distance.

The modified holder shown in-Fig. 4. is es pecially adapted to adjustingthe cutters at any required distance apart.

I11 use, when the cutters enter the material to be cut the oblique facesa constantly force the cutters laterally and apart, so as to cutobliquely through the sheet, and producing edges to the stiffener, asshown in Figs. 5 and 6.

By substituting a blank shortened at the lower end for one of thecutters, when usinga holder, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, or by removin gone of the cutters when using a holder like that shown in Fig. 4, asingle cutter may be used as readily as if in connection with anopposite cutter, as each swings independent of the other, and'isprovided with a separate stop to hold it in proper position when itenters the cut; and, moreover, either of the cutters is independentlyoperative when the material to be cut is only brought in contact withone cutter, and not with both.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a cutting-machine, a cutter or cutters,D, formed with suitable outline of edge, pivoted to a holding-stockformed to be attached to the reciprocating slide of a cutting-press, andarranged to vibrate on such pivots when reciprocated, whereby the edgeof the cutter or cutters will move and cut in a line oblique to the lineof reciprocation and oblique to the plane of the material to be cut,substantially as specified.

2. The combination of the two cutters, formed with suitable outline ofedge, beveled upon their inner faces, pivoted in the holder, andprovided with yielding adjusters, substantially as specified.

3. The combination of the hinged cutters and a stock or holderconstructed and'ar ranged to be laterally adjusted, whereby the cuttersmay be held at any desired distance apart at their pivoted ends,substantially as specified.

ORLANDO LITTLEFIELD;

Witnesses:

" EUGENE HUMPHREY,

'l.'W. PORTER.

